Globe Telecom Engages Local Startup Community for Globe Future Makers Program

Kickstart President Minette Navarrete introduces Globe Future Makers Program to the local startup community

April 17, 2017 | 06:37 PM

Public Company Information:

PSE: GLO

Globe Telecom has engaged the local startup community to be part of
Globe Future Makers (GFM), a social innovation program that seeks to
adopt game-changing digital solutions to address the various causes of
poverty in the country. The program is also in line with the company’s
sustainability commitment to create positive societal impact.

Startup founders and members met with Globe representatives at the
recent staging of Kickstart Venture Inc.’s signature startup community
mixer, Raid The Fridge. It is a monthly open networking event that
gathers startup founders for opportunities to learn, engage, or
collaborate with investors, developers, corporations, the government,
and even with media.

During the presentation, Globe invited the startups to participate
in the program and be part in bringing about positive changes
especially to the marginalized sector of society as a response to UN’s
Sustainable Development Goal No. 9 which calls for investment in
infrastructure and innovation to find lasting solutions to both
economic and environmental challenges.

“Poverty, the lack of access to quality health care and education,
the negative impact of climate change to the environment, and the
displacement of communities due to armed conflict remain society’s
most pressing and pervasive issues. These are the issues that the
Globe Future Makers Program wants to address. By offering efficient,
sustainable solutions for the bottom and middle of the pyramid,
startups can make massive impact to help drive social development in
the Philippines,” said Minette Navarrete, President of Kickstart, the
country's leading venture capital firm and wholly-owned subsidiary of Globe.

She added, “Globe and Kickstart believe that systemic solutions are
possible! Startups focused on solving social problems can use
technology to make impact at scale, and the Globe Future Makers
Program is intended to support social innovation, so that we can build
a better future for everyone.”

The program is open to anyone with a working prototype, preferably
with a pilot test done with potential beneficiaries. Entries should
clearly articulate how technology is being used to optimize the social
impact of the organization on the four focus areas, namely healthcare,
learning and education, climate change, and peace and order.

Application will be accepted until May 7, 2017, after which, the
selection and evaluation of all entries will be conducted. The top
five teams will be provided expert mentorship from Globe, Ashoka
Philippines, and Singtel Group. On the other hand, Kickstart, Globe
Telecom’s corporate venture capital arm, will provide mentorship from
the Kickstart Portfolio Development team and will facilitate access to
relevant startup workshops or clinics, introductions to potential
partners, mentors, advisers, and investors via Kickstart’s broad
network, and free Semaphore web-to-SMS API credits. The support from
Kickstart will allow the top five teams to build their products faster
and launch sooner to benefit the communities they aim to serve.

Candidates will be selected on a merit-basis in terms of business
solutions and social impact. Online application is now available at
www.globe.com.ph/future-makers. For further information, please
contact [email protected]

Future Makers is the social innovation program of the Singtel Group
of Companies within the Asia Pacific region. Launched in 2016 in
Singapore and Australia, the program seeks to recognize the most
innovative technology-enabled solutions focused on solving social
issues in Singapore, Australia, and the Philippines.